After 15 years as mayor, Darwin Hindman is taking it easy

Monday

Former Mayor Darwin Hindman might be off the political radar, but he isn’t off the map. Quite the contrary — he plans to be all over it.

“We have got a long list,” Hindman said of his recreational plans with his wife of 50 years, Axie Hindman.

The 76-year-old has just seen the first Columbia City Council meeting in 15 years go by with someone else in the role of mayor, who is expected to read a stack of reports and staff memos. Some might think the sudden lifestyle change would be difficult for a man who was clearly passionate about his position.

Hindman said that was a brief battle.

“There were a lot of unfinished things I was worrying about right up to the end, even though I knew I wouldn’t be around to see them finished,” said Hindman, who decided last year not to run for a sixth term. “Now I am definitely enjoying the idea of freedom from those responsibilities.”

Axie is enjoying it, too. Not that she had official mayoral responsibilities, but his way of life was hers in many ways.

“I helped him keep his calendar. He had five or six things a day,” she said. “I would go to a lot of events with him. It gave us time together, but it did create problems.”

Hindman said there were some painful conflicts. Fun trips had to be canceled because of city issues or meetings. His active role as mayor cut into his time spent with his grandchildren. “We’ve missed out on all sorts of plays and concerts,” he said.

That has all changed. On Tuesday, the Hindmans went to Glasgow for lunch and shopping. They’ve hit the Boone’s Lick State Historic Site and the Katy Trail. They plan to do a lot of hiking and dog-walking at Grindstone Nature Area. This summer, they will head to their cabin and honeymoon hideaway in northeast Minnesota.

“It’s a primitive but wonderful place — unspoiled,” Hindman said. “Some people would call it elaborate, deluxe camping. We plan to spend a significant amount of time up there.”

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During his roughly 75 years in Columbia, Hindman has seen many changes. The population has increased sevenfold — from about 15,000 to more than 100,000. He recalls when the city’s boundaries were defined by what is now Business Loop 70 to the north, the University of Missouri to the south, West Boulevard to the west and Old 63 to the east. When he was a child, Stadium and Forum boulevards and Providence Road — now major thoroughfares — were but distant ideas. Although he can’t take credit for most of the changes over the years, he has certainly had an influence over recent history.

Pointing to a more vibrant downtown, increased parks and trails and a diverse arts and entertainment scene, he said Columbia is a better place to live than it was even a few years ago.

During his tenure, Hindman pushed for the creation of the cross-state Katy Trail State Park. He worked closely with Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., to secure more than $22 million in federal grant money to make the city more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly.

Ted Curtis, director of the GetAbout Columbia program promoting nonmotorized transportation, acknowledges Hindman’s influence. “He’s been instrumental in bringing programs on board,” Curtis said. “He believes in the process. He walks the walk. That type of leadership is important.”

City Manager Bill Watkins said Hindman’s tenure improved areas many people don’t see because most view him as the “trails and parks guy.”

Watkins mentioned Hindman’s efforts in the broadening of Regional Economic Development Inc. to focus not just on business attraction but on entrepreneurial initiatives such as business startups, which strengthened Columbia’s economy.

Hindman was instrumental in forming the Citizens Police Review Board; in 2007, he spearheaded the project by forming the Citizen Oversight Committee. It was his response to growing public concern over the Columbia Police Department’s conduct toward residents.

He also played a major role in laying the groundwork for the Activity & Recreation Center in 1998. He set up a 37-member committee that developed a financial plan and raised community support. “I don’t think the ARC would have happened without Darwin’s being involved,” Watkins said.

But Hindman said he can’t claim the credit for all these things. “Successes of that type are a result of a really active population and numerous leaders,” he said.

During his tenure as mayor, Hindman has worked alongside two city managers, 18 city council members and thousands of residents. Many haven’t been in full support of his philosophies, specifically his strong push for retrofitting Columbia’s streets for bicyclists and pedestrians. Despite criticism, he stuck to his guns.

Fifth Ward Councilwoman Laura Nauser said when Hindman was first elected, she was “skeptical about some of his visions.” Over the past five years, though, she said, she has realized how important his trails and parks have become, adding that he has brought “national and international recognition to the community.”

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Hindman said he never intended to run for political office, but the coaxing of supporters and his desire to make an impact on the community compelled him. Another reason, he said, is that he thought the other candidates running in 1995 were pushing for typical things, excluding issues he especially cared about — environmental and recreational issues. His platform paid off: He won 52 percent of the votes against five other candidates and rode that success to four subsequent re-elections.

Hindman said the ultimate test of any government activity is to ensure a satisfactory life for as many people as possible. “Too often there is no champion for parks and trails. People think of them as amenities. If the test is to provide a satisfactory life, they are right behind everything else.”

Now with much of his vision for Columbia realized, Hindman has stepped down from public life with plans to enjoy the fruits of his labors. His decision was based on more than just a sense of accomplishment, however.

“If you wait until you finish everything you want to do in public office, you’ll probably never retire. There just comes a time when you have to finish,” he said. “I decided also that here I am, 76 years old, and each year is a larger portion of what life span I have left.”

Axie is pleased with his decision. “We’re certainly looking forward to flexibility in our time. It will enable us to do more of the things that we like to do,” she said.

She stressed that even though he is no longer mayor, he will always be Darwin Hindman. “He’s pretty much the same all the time,” Axie said. “He enjoys people and life. Those are simply his personal characteristics. It makes him a good husband, a good friend, and I think it made him a good mayor, too.”

Hindman is looking to the future with optimism. “It’s been a good life. I really enjoyed it, and I look forward to enjoying the new opportunities,” he said.

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